November 2, 2012, Friday, 306

User:AmyH

From The Peopling of New York City

Contents

Amy: A Little Bio...

That's me

I am a first or second generation American (it depends how you look at it). I was born in Manhattan and raised in Brooklyn. My mother is American and my father is Hungarian, although he came to the United States when he was one year old. My interests lie in the sciences and I hope to pursue a career in medicine.

Deciding on which college to attend is not an easy task. The CUNY Honors College appealed to me because it provides personal attention and has a freshman class of about forty students. I love chemistry and am planning to make it my major. Learning about chemicals and how they interact and solving problems are interesting to me. I hope to attend medical school and pursue a career in medicine. From “The Peopling of New York City” I hope to learn about the peoples of New York City and to gain valuable research methods. From my overall university experience, I hope to expand my knowledge and leave a well-rounded person.

New York City is home to many immigrants. Many Irish came to NYC during the latter part of the 19th century; they came to escape the potato famine. Many immigrants from Eastern Europe and Western Europe also came to NYC during the second half of the 19th century in pursuit of work opportunity and a better life for their families. During the early part of the 20th century, Russian Jews immigrated to NYC seeking refuge from the pogroms. My grandparents arrived in New York City during the late 1950s.

My maternal grandfather arrived by boat in NYC from Israel in 1957; he came alone. My maternal grandmother and her son arrived in NYC by airplane from Israel in 1958. My maternal grandparents are originally from Czechoslovakia. My paternal grandparents and my father arrived in New Jersey from Hungary by boat in 1957. They moved to NYC a few years later. Upon entering the United States, my family stayed with relatives who had already been living here, as did many other new immigrants. Immigrants settle in groups. It is easier to live with one’s own kind when one is in a foreign land where the language and customs are new. By settling in blocks, immigrants are more comfortable because they live with their own kind who speak the same language, eat the same foods, and share the same customs. Many immigrant Jews resided on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

The immigrant experience has shaped my life as well as my family members’ lives. The work ethic that one must work hard to get ahead in life was instilled in my family members and me early in life. Hearing the stories of how my grandparents came to the United States without a penny in their pockets and how hard they worked to support their families does not let us take anything for granted. Being Jewish has also been an important factor for my family in terms of where we live. Jews always live together in communities. It is extremely important to Jewish families that there be a synagogue within walking distance of their residence and kosher food shopping available in the neighborhood. Also, being of Eastern European descent, my family lives in a neighborhood where other Eastern European Jews lives.

My grandparents came to NYC in search of a better life. My maternal grandparents came to NYC hoping to make money and live comfortably. My paternal grandparents came to the United States to escape Communism and the Cold War. My maternal grandparents had trades and that is the kind of work they sought. My grandfather was a carpenter; my grandmother sewed. My paternal grandparents opened take-out food and catering stores in Brooklyn. They took the opportunity NYC gave them to do whatever they wanted. In this way the promises of NYC influenced the work my family members did. Their children pursued careers in dentistry and mathematics, what interested them. I hope to take advantage of the opportunity that NYC gives me to do whatever I want. My grandparents always tell me to do whatever I want; no one is stopping me from reaching my goals.

Immigration has also shaped cultural traditions in my family. My grandparents always tell stories about their lives in Eastern Europe and we eat many of the foods my grandparents ate in Hungary and Czechoslovakia. We eat traditional Jewish food as well as Hungarian food such as chulent (a stew-like dish of beans, potatoes, meat, and barley) and paprikas crumple (potatoes with paprika and onions).

Immigration has shaped my life as well as my family members’ lives. My family’s work ethic, diet, and residence have been affected by immigration. Immigration has changed the lives of other immigrant families as well.

Research Project Proposal

For my research project, I would like to uncover the stories of the immigrants who died in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. I am interested in Eastern European immigrants of the early twentieth century. I would like to map what countries they emigrated from, when they came to the United States, where they lived when they arrived, and who their families were.

I would like to learn about the events leading up to the fire, what caused it, and who was responsible for it. I am curious to find out who the victims left behind when they died. I would like to research five of these ten victims: Lizzie Adler, Rosie Bassino, Morris Bernstein, Ida Drodsky, Rosie Grosso, Fannie Hollander, Pauline Horowitz, Catherine Maltese, Theresa Schmidt, or Rose Weiner.

The story of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire is of great interest to me because my family is a family of Eastern European immigrants. Some of my family members immigrated to the United States in the early twentieth century and some family members arrived later, during the 1950s. My family members worked long, hard hours to earn a living and support their families. I want to acquire an idea of what life was like for the new immigrant workers in the beginning of the twentieth century. By delving into the lives of the immigrants who worked at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, I may also develop a sense of what life was like for my family members when they first arrived in the United States in the early 1900s.

I would like to try to uncover the families of those who perished in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. Who did these immigrants live with when they first arrive in the United States? Did they live with family or friends? The occupations of their kin are also of interest to me.

Researching the lives of the immigrants, mostly Jewish and Italian women, will give insight into the world of the early twentieth century. It will allow me to understand what living and working in New York City was like in the first and second decades of the 1900s.


Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

The fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory took place on March 25, 1911. The fire claimed the lives of 146 workers, most of whom were young Italian and Jewish immigrant women. This year, the memorial took place on March 20th. The names of the victims were read aloud. After each name, a bell was rung.

CHC2Triangle 007.jpg

The above picture was not taken from the internet. Rakhilya and I actually attended the memorial. Here is proof:

CHC2Triangle 004.jpg

Research

The victims I am researching are Rosie Bassino, Morris Bernstein, Rosie Grosso, Pauline Horowitz, Catherine Maltese, Lucia Maltese, and Rosaria Maltese. Through Italiangen.org I found the death certificate numbers of all my subjects. Through Ancestry.com I found the 1910 census sheet on which Rosie Bassino is recorded. I also went to the Municipal Archives and found all of my victims' death certificates on microfilm.


Rosie Bassino, age 31, death certificate number: 10228 [1].

In the 1910 census, Rosie's last name is spelled Bassano. I figured out that I had the right person by looking at the side of the census document which read W Houston St [2]. Rosie did live on W. Houston Street [3]. The census also said she was a dressmaker in a factory (Triangle Shirtwaist Factory). She spoke English. Her husband, Joseph Bassano, was 38 years old in 1910. He was a salesman who spoke Italian. Rosie and Joseph emigrated from Italy in 1905. Rosie died at age 31 of multiple injuries. She jumped from the ninth floor of the building (Von Drehle, 167). She lived at 57 W. Houston Street with her husband Joseph who identified her. Rosie's sister, Irene Grameatassio also died in the fire [4]. Rosie Bassino was a shirtwaist maker at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. She was born in Italy where she married her husband Joseph Bassino. They lived in the United States/New York City for nine years before Rosie was killed in the Triangle Fire. Rosie's father's name was Sirando Buona. Her mother's name was Catherine Buona. Both Rosie's parents were born in Italy. Rosie was buried in Calvary Cemetery on March 28, 1911. G.B. Perazzo served as her undertaker. He resided at 195 Bleecker Street [5]. Rosie and Joseph lived on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Housing was a big problem during those years. Families were packed into tiny one room tenements with only one toilet per floor. It was extremely unsanitary and illness spread quickly in those conditions. Rosie and her husband may have lived in a tenement like most new immigrants who could not afford anything better [6] [7]. The Bassinos lived in a neighborhood that was inhabited by other Italians but also by many Jews. In 1902, food riots broke out. Orthodox Jewish women rioted because the price of kosher meat was too high. In the end, they won. Within a month, the price of kosher meat fell [8].


1910 Census 8th Ward New York, NY, W. Houston St. Joseph and Rosie Bassino [9].


I have not yet been able to locate Rosie or Joseph in any passenger lists.


At the NY Public Library I looked through the Emergency Relief After Washington Place Fire, New York, March 25, 1911: Report of the Red Cross Emergency Relief Committee of the Charity Organization Society of the City of New York. The pamphlet was published in 1912. I found the information below on pages 30 and 32. The document does not give the names of those that the organization aided, however, it gives the background of some of the victims. Via the information given I was able to decipher that one of the families helped was that of Rosie Bassino.

"No. 5: (Italian) A married, 33 year old, was killed leaving a husband, 40 years old, but no children. Her married sister was also killed (see No. 25). The husband was a good workman, earning $13.00 a week as a presser when employed. He was in good health, and expressed no desire for any assistance except the amount of the funeral bill, although other persons have requested for him a substantial appropriation to set him up in business. After the fire he went to live with his wife's parents." Joseph Bassino received $125.30 in relief aid [10].


No. 25 was Rosie's sister, Irene Grameatassio.

"There were five other families in which the only assistance which seemed to be required in addition to payment of funeral expenses was a grant to meet some temporary need or readjustment in family plans." Irene's family was one of the five families. "No. 25 (Italian) A married woman, 22 years old, was killed leaving a husband and 2 small children. She was a sister of the married woman in case No. 5. It was said that she worked because her husband was not inclined to contribute largely to the family expenses though he was a machinist earning $15.00 a week. Funeral expenses were paid and $110.00 was given to the woman's mother for the benefit of the children and to enable her to move to a larger apartment which would accommodate her son-in-law and the children and the other son-in-law. The husband was not satisfied with the action of the Committee. HE took his children away from their grandparents, and wrote demanding that the money which had been given to them be turned over to him. It was found that he children were suffering from neglect and he was advised to restore them to the grandmother's care. In October a satisfactory state of affairs was found: the father working regularly, paying the grandmothers for taking care of the children while his is way, and taking care of them himself at night." Irene's family received $235.30 in relief aid [11].

Morris Bernstein, age 19, death certificate number: 10030 [12].

Morris Bernstein was born in Russia to his parents Louis Bernstein and Sade Prauve (?-the handwriting on the death certificate was hard to read). Both parents were born in Russia. Morris was a shirtmaker at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. He had only been living in the US/NYC for 18 months before he died. Morris was unmarried at the time of his death. He was buried on March 26, 1911 at Baron Hirsh Cemetery. J. Stein served as his undertaker. Stein lived at 53 Pratt Street (?- Microfilm was hard to read) [13]. Morris died of multiple injuries. He lay dead on East 5th Street [14]. Morris lived at 309 E. 5th Street. He was identified by his brother, Herman [15]. Morris lived in the East Village (Greenwich Village) in Manhattan.

Pauline Horowitz, age 19, death certificate number: 10141 [16].

Pauline was a shirtmaker at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. She was born in Russia to Gregory Horowitz and Charna Isenberg. Both parents were born in Russia. Pauline had only been living in the US/NYC five years before she died. Pauline was unmarried at the time of her death. She was found at the morgue on March 26, 1911 in the 21st Ward. Pauline was buried on March 27, 1911 in the Ocean View Cemetery, Sect. MR. Her undertaker was A. Livingston who lived at 245 Grand Street [17]. Pauline died of multiple injuries and burns. She lived at 58 St. Mark's Place in Brooklyn. She was identified by Samuel Horowitz, her brother [18]. Pauline lived in Brooklyn (possibly in Park Slope).

Rosie Grasso, age 16, death certificate number: 10126 [19].

In Triangle, Von Drehle has her last name spelled as Grosso. I believe that Rosie Grasso is the same person because the date of death is 3/25/1911. Rosie was an operator at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. She was born in Italy to Carmelo Grasso and Marie Pelromalah (?- handwriting on certificate was hard to read). Rosie lived in the US/NYC for only 5 years before she died. Rosie was unmarried at the time of her death. Rosie was buried on March 27, 1911 in Calvary Cemetery [20]. Rosie died of asphyxiation/burns. She lived at 174 Thompson Street. She was identified by the style of her slippers by her cousin, John Zingalo [21]. Rosie also lived in Greenwich Village in Manhattan.

Catherine Maltese, age 39, death certificate number: 11423 [22].

In Triangle, Von Drehle states that Catherine's age is unknown. The date of death on the certificate is 3/25/1911 so it must be the same Catherine Maltese. When I searched for Catherine Maltese who died in Manhattan, only one match came up with the correct date of death. Catherine's death certificate is in the midst of the "unknown" death certificates on the microfilm. This is interesting because her death certificate does not relay much information. It is also interesting that there are two death certificates numbered 11423. The first certificate was that of Catherine Maltese and the second was that of "Unknown Woman." Catherine was born in Italy. She was an operator at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. Catherine was married to Serafino Maltese. They had lived in the US/NYC for four years before Catherine died [23]. Catherine died of asphyxiation/burns. She was identified on December 18, 1911 when her husband, Serafino, finally recognized her by one of her possessions. The Malteses lived at 35 Second Avenue [24].

Catherine Maltese [25].


Lucia Maltesa, age 20, death certificate number: 10230 [26].

Again, the spelling of the last name is similar yet not the same. This should not be a problem since the date of death and age seem to match the information given in Triangle. Lucia, daughter of Catherine and Serafino Maltese and sister of Rosaria Maltese, was an operator at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. She was born in Italy as were her parents. Catherine's maiden name was Caurrio (?-handwriting on certificate was hard to read). It is interesting that Lucia's death certificate states her mother as Catherine Caurrio while Rosaria's death certificate states her mother as Catherine Maltese. Lucia had only lived in the US/NYC for four years before her death. She was unmarried at the time of her death. Lucia was buried on March 28, 1911 at Calvary Cemetery. Domenico Bonomolo served as her undertaker. He lived at 294 Elizabeth Street [27]. Lucia died of asphyxiation/burns. She was identified by her father, Serafino [28].

Rosaria Maltesa, age 14, death certificate number: 10231 [29].

Lucia and Sara Maltese [30].

Rosaria was the daughter of Catherine and Serafino Maltese and the sister of Lucia Maltese. She was born in Italy and worked as an operator at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. She only lived in the US/NYC for four years before she died. She was unmarried at the time of her death. Rosaria was buried on March 28, 1911 at Calvary Cemetery. Her undertaker was Domenico Bonomolo, the same as for her sister Lucia [31]. Rosaria died of asphyxiation/burns. She was also identified by her father, Serafino [32].

Lucia and Rosaria arrived at Ellis Island on July 2, 1907 with their mother, Catherine Carimo (alt. sp. Canino), and siblings Vito Maltese (age 14), Maria Maltese (age 4), and Paolo Maltese (age 2). Their ship, Sofia Hohenberg, left from Palermo, Italy, not far from where the Malteses resided, Marsala. The Malteses had no trade upon their arrival to NYC . The father, Serafino Maltese, born in 1868, arrived at Ellis Island on May 19, 1906 on the Italia. He was a shoemaker and arrived with only $20 in his pocket. He had family in the US and upon arrival went to live with his brother-in-law Nicolo Mirolilo (?) at 25 Alabama Avenue in Brooklyn, NY. In fact, on the passenger manifest, Serafino's name was crossed off, indicating that he was not aboard the Italia [33]. Serafino, though, was aboard the Algeria. He departed from Palermo, Italy on July 25, 1906 and arrived in New York on August 6, 1906. He was born on November 4, 1868 in Trapani, Italy. He declared his intention of becoming a U.S. citizen on January 15, 1923. He was the widower of Katherine and had two children, Vito, born on August 24, 1892, and Paolo, born on June 22, 1905. The number of his Declaration of Intention is 299778. He was 56 years old when he filed this document. He was a shoemaker. He was a white man with a fair complexion. He was five feet six inches tall, weighed 140 pounds, and had gray hair. He was then residing at 97 East 3rd Street. The two witnesses that signed his petition for naturalization certifying that Serafino was an upstanding person were Peter Benente, a real estate broker who lived at 95 2nd Street, and Vito Maltese, his son, a barber, who lived with him at 97 East 3rd Street [34].

Two women were found crouched in a narrow space behind the toilets in the Triangle building. Von Drehle believes them to be the bodies of Lucy and Sara Maltese [35].

The Malteses also lived on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Housing was a big problem during those years. Families were packed into tiny one room tenements with only one toilet per floor. It was extremely unsanitary and illness spread quickly in those conditions. They most likely lived in a tenement like most new immigrants who could not afford anything better. The Malteses lived in a neighborhood that was inhabited by other Italians but also by many Jews [36] [37]. In 1902, food riots broke out. Orthodox Jewish women rioted because the price of kosher meat was too high. In the end, they won. Within a month, the price of kosher meat fell [38].


Ship Italia [39].
Passenger Manifest for Italia [40].
Passenger Manifest for Italia [41].


Naturalization Petition for Serafino Maltese [42].


While searching on ancestry.com I came across two passenger manifests. Both manifests included the names of Catherine, Lucia, Rosaria, Vito, Maria, and Paolo. On the first manifest, the one of the Sofia Hohenberg that arrived in NY on July 2, 1907, the names are all crossed off [43]. On the second manifest, the one of the Francesca that arrived in NY on August 3, 1907, the names are not crossed off and next to some names is a stamp reading ADMITTED. The Francesca manifest also shows that Maria died in the hospital upon arrival (on August 5, 1907). She did not make the journey. Catherine was treated at the hospital and then released [44]. Could it be that the Malteses were sent back the first time they arrived at Ellis Island? Apparently Catherine, Lucia, Rosaria, Vito, Maria and Paolo were supposed to be on the Sofia Hohenberg but never made the trip. They arrived one month later on the Francesca. The Francesca departed from Palermo, Italy on July 16th, 1907 and arrived in New York on August 3, 1907.

Passenger Manifest for Sofia Hohenberg July 2, 1907

Passenger Manifest for Sofia Hohenberg July 2, 1907 [45].
Passenger Manifest for Sofia Hohenberg July 2, 1907 [46].


Ship Sofia Hohenberg [47].


Passenger Manifest for Francesca August 3, 1907 [48].
Passenger Manifest for Francesca August 3, 1907 [49].


Ship Francesca

I may have found death notices, military draft cards, and marriage certificates for Vito and Paolo Maltese.

Vito Maltese Military Record - WWI Birthdate: August 23, 1892 (Italy) Age: 24 Brown hair, brown eyes Residence: New York, NY Roll: 1765895 Draftboard: 112 [50].

Military Record - WWII Birthdate: August 24, 1892 Residence: Queens, NY Birthplace: Trapani, Italy Roll: WWII_2371824 Wife: Frances Maltese [51].

I am not sure if these refer to the same person.

SS Death Index NY Last residence: 11368 Flushing, Queens, NY Died: June 1970 [52].

Marriage Certificate Married: July 27, 1913 Certificate #: 18238 [53]. Bride: Francesca Zerilli [54].


Francesca Zerilli Passenger Lists Arrival Date: November 22, 1910 Estimated year of birth: 1895 Port of Departure: Palermo, Italy Port of Arrival: New York, NY Birth location: Massala or Sicily [55]. Ship name: Perugia (years in service: 1901-1916) Line: 18 Microfilm Serial: T715 Roll: T715_1596 page: 132 [56].

Francesca traveled with Paola Zerilli. Paola is either Francesca's mother or sister. I believe that Paola is Francesca's sister since (from what I could read from the manifest) they were going to live with a brother [57].

Paolo Maltese SS Death Index Last residence: 34691 Holiday, Pasco, Florida Born: June 11, 1905 Died: November 3, 1988 at age 83 [58].

Marriage Certificate Paul Maltese Married: October 8, 1931 Certificate #: 23026 [59]. Bride: Frances Scafidi [60].

Married: September 8, 1931 Certificate #: 20985 [61]. Bride: Francesca Scafidi [62].

I am not sure which Paul Maltese is the person I am looking for. I will have to take another trip to the Municipal Archives.

Petition for Naturalization for Paul Maltese Approximate year of birth: 1906 Age: 24 Petition #: 150947 Date of Certificate: January 13, 1930 [63].

Paolo (Paul) Maltese was born on June 11, 1905 (the date of his birth on his father's naturalization petition is June 22, 1905- I find this interesting) in Trapani, Italy. He arrived in New York aboard the Francesca on August 3, 1907. He was 18 years old when he petitioned for naturalization. Paul worked as an upholsterer. He was a white man with a fair complexion. Paul was five feet six inches tall (like his father) and weighed 145 pounds. He had brown hair and blue eyes. Paul filed his Declaration of Intention to become a U.S. citizen on January 5, 1924. The number of the declaration is 340114. The number of the petition for naturalization is 150947. The witnesses who signed Paul's petition were Serafino Maltese, his father, who resided at 97 East 3rd Street in NYC, and Pietro D'Angelo, a grocer, who lived at 97 East 3rd Street NYC [64].

Upon searching for Paul's marriage certificate number, I came upon two numbers. When I looked both up on microfilm at the Municipal Archives, I found that Paul and his bride, Frances Scafidi, had two marriage certificates. The first certificate I looked at, number 23026, gave the following information: Paul Maltese and Frances Scafidi were married on October 8, 1931 by Rev. Gabriel A. Zema at 44 Secant Avenue in Manhattan. This was the first marriage for both the bride and the groom. The groom lived at 97 East 3rd Street and the bride lived at 71 East 3rd Street in Manhattan. Both were white and single. Paul was an upholsterer while Frances had no occupation. The groom was born in Trapani, Italy to Serafino Maltese and Caterina Canino. The bride was born in New York City to Vincenzo Scafidi and Carmela Parisi. The witnesses to the marriage were Paul's brother and sister-in-law, Vito Maltese and Francesca Zerilli who lived at 44 Secant Avenue [65]. The second certificate, number 20985, provided the ages of the bride and groom. The bride was 18 years old and the groom was 27 years of age. This certificate, though, was issued one month earlier and claims that Paul and Frances were married on September 9, 1931 by Rev. Charles I. Tunby at 39 5th Avenue in Manhattan. The witnesses to this marriage were Samuel Koslow and William J. Charters who resided at 39 5th Avenue [66].

Paul Maltese died on November 3, 1988 in Pasco, Florida at the age of 83 [67]. He last lived in Holiday, Pasco, Florida zip code 34691. His social security number was 068-03-3598. It was issued to him in New York before 1951 [68].

Vito Maltese and Francesca Zerilli were married on July 27, 1913 by Rev. Zpcacci at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan. This was the first marriage for both the bride and the groom. The bride and groom both lived at 208 Forsyth Street before marrying. Both were also white and single before the marriage. Vito was a barber and Francesca had no occupation. When they were married, Vito was 20 years old and Francesca was 18 years old. The groom was born in Marsala (Trapani), Italy to Serafino and Caterina Maltese. The bride was also born in Marsala (Trapani), Italy. Her parents were Sebastiano Zerilli and Maria Maltese. The witnesses to the marriage were Melchiorre Guastella and Giuseppissa Lisitra who lived at 263 Mulberry Street in Manhattan [69].

Vito Maltese died in June of 1970 in Flushing, Queens, New York in zip code 11368. His social security number was 079-05-8644. It was issued to him in New York before 1951 [70].

Serphin Maltese Grandson of Catherine Maltese and nephew of Lucy and Sara.

Serphin Maltese Grandson of Catherine Maltese and nephew of Lucy and Sara [71].

http://www.senate.state.ny.us


One of the grandsons of Catherine and Serafino Maltese, Serphin (Serf) R. Maltese, is a Republican New York State Senator for the 15th senatorial district (Queens, NY). He was born on December 7, 1932. Serf was first elected in November 1988 and was elected in 2006 to his 10th term. Serf is married to the artist and pianist Constance Mary DelVecchio Maltese, born in 1933. They married on August 27, 1955 and have been married for 52 years.


Serf and Constance have two daughters, Andrea Maltese Spanarkel and Leslie Maltese McGill, from whom they have 4 grandchildren.


Andrea and her husband Arthur Spanarkel have a daughter, Genevieve Frances Spanarkel.


Leslie and her husband Jim McGill have three children: Sondra Elizabeth, Eva Daly, and James Francis McGill III [72].

Constance is a renowned artist. She was born in Queens, NY in 1933. Her father was an Italian American and her mother was a German immigrant [73].

Here is a family photo (although I do not know who is who)

Maltese Family Photo [74].

http://www.senatorserfmaltese.org

http://www.senatorserfmaltese.com/15/biography.aspx


Serf's brother, Vincent Maltese is the president of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire Memorial Society.

From left granddaughter Eva, Constance, and Serf, From right Vincent Maltese [75].

I am assuming that the father of Vincent and Serphin was Vito Maltese. Vito died in Queens and that is where Serf resides.


This is extremely puzzling: Von Drehle states that Catherine, Lucia, and Rosaria were identified by their husband/father Salvatore, "One Saturday morning Salvatore Maltese was patriarch of a big and perfect family: a wife, two girls and two boys..." [76]. In the appendix where he lists the names of the victims, Von Drehle writes that Catherine was identified by "her husband Serafino" and by Lucia and Rosaria he writes, "Identified by her father Serafino" [77]. Upon examining The Triangle Fire by Leon Stein, I became even more puzzled. Stein claims that, "Serafino Maltese, a young typesetter...first identified the body of his sister Lucia, age twenty. Then he found the body of his sister, Rosalie, aged fourteen...he began a sad march again, this time to search for the body of his mother, Catherine, aged thirty-eight" [78]. Stein later writes that "Salvatore Maltese told the police that his wife, Catherine, had not been seen since the fire" [79].

Maybe Vito is a nickname for Salvatore?


After visiting the New York Public Library for the second time yesterday, April 17th, I found more information on the Maltese family. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find much (if anything) on any of my other immigrants who are in fact showing to be quite elusive. Searching through the City Directories on microfilm did not produce any fruit. I did find other interesting pieces about the fire itself, though. Poems written in memory of the sisters who died in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire and sheet music (music written about the fire shortly after it occurred). The sheet music is considered rare. I was unable to see the document since the library was about to close. I will definitely have to go back.

Next step: National Archives: -view military records of Vito Maltese -view naturalization petition of Serafino Maltese -view naturalization petition of Paolo Maltese

Step completed!

Next step: Back to the Municipal Archives: -view marriage certificates of Vito and Paolo Maltese -view death certificate of Serafino Maltese?

Mission complete! Unfortunately, the microfilm roll holding Serafino Maltese's death certificate was missing and I was unable to view it.

References

  1. Italian Genealogical Society, http://italiangen.org/NYCDeathresults.asp?kind=sounds&Esurname=bassino&Efirst=rosie&StartYear=1911&EndYear=1911&County=M&B1=Submit. </li>
  2. ancestry.com, <i> http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=View&r=an&dbid=7884&iid=NYT624_1004-0881&fn=Rose&ln=Bassano&st=r&ssrc=&pid=123504539. </li>
  3. David Von Drehle, <i> Triangle (New York: Grove Press, 2003), 271.
  4. David Von Drehle, Triangle (New York: Grove Press, 2003), 274.
  5. Manhattan Death Certificates 1911, Microfilm roll 775, numbers 9995-10952, Municipal Archives: New York City, 10228
  6. Joanne Reitano, Restless City (New York: Taylor and Francis Group LLC, 2006), 108.
  7. Jacob Riis, How the Other Half Lives .
  8. Joanne Reitano, Restless City (New York: Taylor and Francis Group LLC, 2006), 119-120.
  9. ancestry.com, http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=View&r=an&dbid=7884&iid=NYT624_1004-0881&fn=Rose&ln=Bassano&st=r&ssrc=&pid=123504539. </li>
  10. Red Cross Emergency Relief Committee of the Charity Organization Society of the City of New York, <i> Emergency Relief After Washington Place Fire, New York, March 25, 1911: Report of the Red Cross Emergency Relief Committee of the Charity Organization Society of the City of New York (New York, 1912), 30.
  11. Red Cross Emergency Relief Committee of the Charity Organization Society of the City of New York, Emergency Relief After Washington Place Fire, New York, March 25, 1911: Report of the Red Cross Emergency Relief Committee of the Charity Organization Society of the City of New York (New York, 1912), 32.
  12. Italian Genealogical Society, http://italiangen.org/NYCDeathresults.asp?kind=sounds&Esurname=bernstein&Efirst=morris&StartYear=1911&EndYear=1911&County=M&B1=Submit. </li>
  13. Manhattan Death Certificates 1911, <i> Microfilm roll 775, numbers 9995-10952, Municipal Archives: New York City, 10030
  14. David Von Drehle, Triangle (New York: Grove Press, 2003), 183.
  15. David Von Drehle, Triangle (New York: Grove Press, 2003), 272.
  16. Italian Genealogical Society, http://italiangen.org/NYCDeathresults.asp?kind=sounds&Esurname=horowitz&Efirst=pauline&StartYear=1911&EndYear=1911&County=M&B1=Submit. </li>
  17. Manhattan Death Certificates 1911, <i> Microfilm roll 775, numbers 9995-10952, Municipal Archives: New York City, 10141
  18. David Von Drehle, Triangle (New York: Grove Press, 2003), 275.
  19. Italian Genealogical Society, http://italiangen.org/NYCDeathresults.asp?kind=sounds&Esurname=grosso&Efirst=rosie&StartYear=1911&EndYear=1911&County=M&B1=Submit. </li>
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  77. David Von Drehle, Triangle (New York: Grove Press, 2003), 277.
  78. Leon Stein, The Triangle Fire (New York: J.B. Lippincott, 1962), 103.
  79. Leon Stein, The Triangle Fire (New York: J.B. Lippincott, 1962), 108.

Collaboration of Research Project

The Search for the Elusive Immigrant is a topic characterizing one of the goal's of The Peopling of New York. The immigrants our class went in search of were not well known. They were ordinary people seeking better lives for themselves and for their children. The stories of these immigrants are difficult to unravel because they often get lost in the historical record. Their names are not famous enough for the documentation on their lives to be better preserved. It is hard work trying to uncover the lives of ordinary people, but it is doable and proves to be extremely rewarding when hard work and persistent scavenging produce results.

For my research project, I wanted to delve into the lives of some of the victims of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. I started by reading Triangle: The Fire That Changed America by David Von Drehle. As the author wrote, Triangle "is one more attempt to open up the horror of the Triangle fire, to gaze intently and unflinchingly at it, and to settle on the facts and their meaning" (p. 5). In Triangle, Von Drehle explored the years before and leading up to the fire, the parameters revolving around the fire itself and some of its victims, and the aftermath of the fire. At the end of his narrative, the author, in an appendix, attempts to compile a correct listing of the 146 fire victims, their ages, cause of death, address, and whom they were identified by. I chose the victims I was interested in researching from this list.

On Saturday, March 25, 1911 at around 4:45 P.M., a fire broke out at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory that engulfed the eighth, ninth, and tenth floors of the building. The factory, the present biology and chemistry building of NYU, was owned by Isaac Harris and Max Blanck. Most of the employees were young immigrant women, largely of Italian or Jewish descent. (Some men also worked at the factory.) The fire claimed 146 lives of hardworking immigrants who came to the United States of America in search of a better life. Many of the immigrant workers had only come to the U.S. a few months before their tragic and untimely deaths. The fire was “the deadliest workplace disaster in New York History” (Von Drehle 3) until September 11, 2001 when terrorists flew airplanes into the World Trade Towers. What makes the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire such a tragedy is that it could have been prevented.

Workers labored under unhealthy and even inhumane working conditions. Workers were crowded around cutting tables. There was no ventilation and the heat generated from the sewing machines and presses created a stifling environment. Fabric scraps and tissue paper could easily catch fire as eventually happened and started the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. Also, there were workers on the seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth floors of the building. Fire engine ladders during the early part of the twentieth century only reached up to six stories. If a fire were to erupt in the factory above the sixth floor, it was impossible for firemen to reach those trapped. This is exactly what happened and this could have been prevented. Even the fire hoses, located in the stairwells of each floor, did not work. There was no water pressure so the factory employees could not even attempt to put out the flames before the fire department arrived on the scene. The flames were engulfing the factory floors. Some workers jumped to their deaths while others burned inside the building.

The burned bodies that were found were placed in numbered, open caskets and taken to the Charities Piers on Twenty-sixth Street in Manhattan, the morgue. Survivors and loved ones gathered at the morgue daily in an effort to identify the victims. Those victims who were fortunate were identified and properly buried. Others, however, were not so lucky. Some of the dead were so badly burned that they were unrecognizable. These victims were buried respectfully, however, they were never identified. Their death certificates read “Unknown Woman” or “Unknown Man.”

The victims I chose to investigate were Rosie Bassino, Morris Bernstein, Rosie Grosso, Pauline Horowitz, Catherine Maltese, Lucia Maltese, and Rosaria Maltese. I found more information about some than about others. The only information I was able to find on Morris Bernstein, Rosie Grosso, and Pauline Horowitz was the information given on their death certificates which I found at the Municipal Archives.

I started my research on ancestry.com looking for anything and everything from passenger manifests to federal census records. I also the Italian Genealogical Society’s search engine, italiangen.org, to find the death certificate numbers of the fire victims. When I found all of the certificate numbers I followed up with a visit to the Municipal Archives at 31 Chambers Street, Room 103. There I scrolled through microfilm rolls and found the death certificates I was looking for. I recorded all of the information they provided including where the bodies were found, their marital status, country of birth, names of parents and their place of birth, cause of death, address, date and place of burial, and name and address of undertaker.

After my trip to the Municipal Archives, I decided to go to the New York Public Library, Humanities and Social Sciences Library, on 5th Avenue. In the Main Reading Room I read through Red Cross relief pamphlets, a book of poems honoring the victims of the Triangle Fire, and a book compiled of articles and pictures of the fire by a grandson of one of the victims (NYS Senator Serphin Maltese). At the library, I also scrolled through microfilmed city directories but hit a dead end when I did not find any of my victims listed.

I continued my search by looking for descendents and family members of the deceased. I, again, used ancestry.com for preliminary research. Finding passenger manifests, naturalization records, military records, and death records I proceeded to search for the genuine documents at the National Archives at 201 Varick Street. There I was able to look through microfilmed naturalization records. I was unable to view military records due to privacy issues. I later returned to the Municipal Archives after finding marriage certificate numbers for the descendents of the Maltese family on italiangen.org.

The victims I chose to investigate were Rosie Bassino, Morris Bernstein, Rosie Grosso, Pauline Horowitz, Catherine Maltese, Lucia Maltese, and Rosaria Maltese. I found more information about some than about others. The only information I was able to find on Morris Bernstein, Rosie Grosso, and Pauline Horowitz was the information given on their death certificates which I found at the Municipal Archives on Chambers Street. The death certificates provided information on where the bodies were found, their marital status, country of birth, names of parents and their place of birth, cause of death, address, date and place of burial, and name and address of undertaker.

I was able to find more information on Rosie Bassino and the Maltese family, aside from the information provided by their death certificates. I found Rosie Bassino in the 1910 Federal Census on ancestry.com as well as how much money her sister's (Irene Grameatassio) family and her family received in aide from the Emergency Relief Fund of the Red Cross. I found this information at the New York Public Library in the pamphlet Report of the Red Cross Emergency Relief After Washington Place Fire. I found much more information on the Maltese family partly because the family is in politics. The grandson of Catherine Maltese is Queens District New York State Senator Serphin Maltese.

One of the hard parts of tracking down information on my victims was that since they are immigrants, their names are often spelled differently in various sources (passenger manifests, death certificates, census, newspaper articles, and obituaries). Often names are misspelled in census data as was Rosie Bassino's name; it was written as Bassano. Much of the fruit that I found was at the Municipal Archives.

Upon visiting the National Archives, I was happy to find the naturalization petitions and declarations of intention for both Serafino and Paolo Maltese. I was unable to find the naturalization petition or declaration of intention for Vito, though.

I found the Italian Genealogical Society's website, italiangen.org, extremely helpful in that it provided the death certificate numbers of Rosie Bassino, Morris Bernstein, Rosie Grosso, Pauline, Horowitz, Catherine Maltese, Lucia Maltese, Rosaria Maltese, Serafino Maltese. It also provided the naturalization petition numbers for Serafino and Paolo Maltese. Having these numbers made it much easier and faster to look up the information that I needed at the Municipal and National Archives.

I started my research by searching for my victims on ancestry.com and italiangen.org. I then went to the New York Public Library on 5th Avenue and 42nd Street in Manhattan to see what I could uncover there. I went back several times. After the library, my next stop was the Municipal Archives at 31 Chambers Street Room 103 and lastly the National Archives at 201 Varick Street, 12th Floor. At the library, I looked through the city directories for the fire victims I was researching and did not find any of them.

I immediately found Rosie Bassino in the 1910 US Federal Census on ancestry.com. I then proceeded to search for her husband, Joseph Bassino, in subsequent censuses but did not succeed in finding any information on him. I continued my search on Rosie and found her death certificate number on italiangen.org. Again, I searched for a death certificate and even naturalization petition number for her husband with no luck. I was able to find Rosie's death certificate at the Municipal Archives and learned about her parents, how long she had been in the United States before she died, and when and where she was buried. At the library I was able to determine indirectly how much money her family received in relief aid after her death from a pamphlet printed by the Red Cross Emergency Relief Committee of the Charity Organization Society of the City of New York. Rosie's name was also listed in a newspaper article about the Triangle victims in the New York Times.

In the 1910 census, Rosie's last name is spelled Bassano. According to the census she was a dressmaker in a factory (Triangle Shirtwaist Factory). She spoke English. Her husband, Joseph Bassano, was 38 years old in 1910. He was a salesman who spoke Italian. Rosie and Joseph emigrated from Italy in 1905. Rosie died at age 31 of multiple injuries. Rosie jumped from the ninth floor of the building. She lived at 57 W. Houston Street with her husband Joseph who identified her. Rosie's sister, Irene Grameatassio also died in the fire. Rosie Bassino was a shirtwaist maker at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. She was born in Italy where she married her husband Joseph Bassino. They lived in the United States/New York City for nine years before Rosie was killed in the Triangle Fire. This means that the Bassinos arrived in the United States in 1902 and not in 1905. Rosie's father's name was Sirando Buona. Her mother's name was Catherine Buona. Both Rosie's parents were born in Italy. Rosie was buried in Calvary Cemetery on March 28, 1911. G.B. Perazzo served as her undertaker. He resided at 195 Bleecker Street. Rosie and Joseph lived on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Housing was a big problem during those years. Families were packed into tiny one room tenements with only one toilet per floor. It was extremely unsanitary and illness spread quickly in those conditions. Rosie and her husband may have lived in a tenement like most new immigrants who could not afford anything better. The Bassinos lived in a neighborhood that was inhabited by other Italians but also by many Jews. In 1902, food riots broke out. Orthodox Jewish women rioted because the price of kosher meat was too high. In the end, they won. Within a month, the price of kosher meat fell.

Joseph Bassino was a good workman, earning $13.00 a week as a presser when employed. He was in good health, and expressed no desire for any money in compensation for his wife's death except the amount of the funeral bill. After the fire he went to live with his wife's parents. Joseph received $125.30 in relief aid.

Rosie's sister, Irene, was also married and left behind her husband and two small children. She worked because her husband was not inclined to contribute largely to the family expenses though he was a machinist earning $15.00 a week. Funeral expenses were paid and $110.00 was given to Irene's mother for the benefit of the children and to enable her to move to a larger apartment which would accommodate Irene's husband, Irene's children and Rosie's husband. Irene's husband was not satisfied with the action of the Red Cross Emergency Relief Committee. He took his children away from their grandparents, and demanded that the money which had been given to Irene's parents be turned over to him. It was found that the children were suffering from neglect and Irene's husband was advised to restore them to the grandmother's care. In October a satisfactory state of affairs was found: the father working regularly, paying the grandmother for taking care of the children while his is way, and taking care of them himself at night. Irene's family received $235.30 in relief aid.

I had much difficulty uncovering the life of Morris Bernstein. I search for him on ancestry.com and became frustrated because the search revealed many men with the name Morris Bernstein and after looking through many of them I found none of them were the Morris Bernstein that I was looking for. I also searched for his brother, Herman Bernstein who identified him, but I had the same problem. I did, however, find his death certificate number on italiangen.org and did learn about his family from viewing his death certificate at the Municipal Archives. I was unable to find any other information on Morris though I searched tirelessly for her name on passenger manifests through stevemorse.org.

Morris Bernstein was born in Russia to his parents Louis Bernstein and Sade Prauve. Both parents were born in Russia. Morris was a shirtmaker at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. He had only been living in the US/NYC for 18 months before he died. Morris was unmarried at the time of his death. Morris lay dead on East 5th Street. He was buried on March 26, 1911 at Baron Hirsh Cemetery. J. Stein served as his undertaker. Stein lived at 53 Pratt Street. Morris died of multiple injuries. He lived at 309 E. 5th Street. He was identified by his brother, Herman. Morris lived in the East Village (Greenwich Village) in Manhattan

I also had much difficulty uncovering the life of Rosie Grosso. I searched for her on ancestry.com to no avail. I also searched for her cousin, John Zingalo who identified her, but I could not find any information on him. I did, however, find her death certificate number on italiangen.org and did learn about her family from viewing her death certificate at the Municipal Archives. I was unable to find any other information on Rosie though I searched tirelessly for her name on passenger manifests through stevemorse.org.

Rosie was an operator at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. She was born in Italy to Carmelo Grasso and Marie Pelromalah (?- handwriting on certificate was hard to read). Rosie lived in the US/NYC for only 5 years before she died. Rosie was unmarried at the time of her death. Rosie was buried on March 27, 1911 in Calvary Cemetery. Rosie died of asphyxiation/burns. She lived at 174 Thompson Street. She was identified by the style of her slippers by her cousin, John Zingalo. Rosie also lived in Greenwich Village in Manhattan.

Pauline Horowitz was not easy to find information on either. I, again, started to search for her story on ancestry.com and found nothing. The Paulines that came up did not match her country of origin, her year of birth, or place of residence. I found her death certificate number on italiangen.org and thus found some useful information upon viewing her death certificate at the Municipal Archives. I tried searching for her brother, Samuel Horowitz who identified her, but I came upon so many results with the same name that it was extremely difficult to decipher if any of the matches were really the match I was looking for. Like Morris and Rosie, I was unable to find any other information on Pauline though I searched tirelessly for her name on passenger manifests through stevemorse.org.

Pauline was a shirtmaker at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. She was born in Russia to Gregory Horowitz and Charna (possibly Channa- handwriting on certificate was hard to read) Isenberg. Both parents were born in Russia. Pauline had only been living in the US/NYC five years before she died. Pauline was unmarried at the time of her death. She was found at the morgue on March 26, 1911 in the 21st Ward. Pauline was buried on March 27, 1911 in the Ocean View Cemetery, Sect. MR. Her undertaker was A. Livingston who lived at 245 Grand Street. Pauline died of multiple injuries and burns. She lived at 58 St. Mark's Place in Brooklyn. She was identified by Samuel Horowitz, her brother. Pauline lived in Brooklyn (possibly in Park Slope).

I was able to find an abundance of information on the Maltese family, mostly because the family's descendents are in public service. I was able to find much information on ancestry.com including Vito's military draft records for WWI and WWII, Serafino's naturalization petition, passenger manifests, and death information. Italiangen.org was also helpful with numbers of naturalization petitions, death certificates, and marriage certificates which I found at the Municipal and National Archives.

Catherine was born in Italy. She was an operator at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. Catherine was married to Serafino Maltese. They had lived in the US/NYC for four years before Catherine died. Catherine died of asphyxiation/burns. She was identified on December 18, 1911 when her husband, Serafino, finally recognized her by one of her possessions. The Malteses lived at 35 Second Avenue.

Lucia, daughter of Catherine and Serafino Maltese and sister of Rosaria Maltese, was an operator at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. She was born in Italy as were her parents. Catherine's maiden name was Caurrio (handwriting on certificate was hard to read). Her maiden name is actually Carimo or Canino. It is interesting that Lucia's death certificate states her mother as Catherine Caurrio while Rosaria's death certificate states her mother as Catherine Maltese. Lucia had only lived in the US/NYC for four years before her death. She was unmarried at the time of her death. Lucia was buried on March 28, 1911 at Calvary Cemetery. Domenico Bonomolo served as her undertaker. He lived at 294 Elizabeth Street. Lucia died of asphyxiation/burns. She was identified by her father, Serafino.

Rosaria was the daughter of Catherine and Serafino Maltese and the sister of Lucia Maltese. She was born in Italy and worked as an operator at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. She only lived in the US/NYC for four years before she died. She was unmarried at the time of her death. Rosaria was buried on March 28, 1911 at Calvary Cemetery. Her undertaker was Domenico Bonomolo, the same as for her sister Lucia. Rosaria died of asphyxiation/burns. She was also identified by her father, Serafino.

Two women were found crouched in a narrow space behind the toilets in the Triangle building. Von Drehle believes them to be the bodies of Lucy and Sara Maltese.

The Malteses also lived on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Housing was a big problem during those years. Families were packed into tiny one room tenements with only one toilet per floor. It was extremely unsanitary and illness spread quickly in those conditions. They most likely lived in a tenement like most new immigrants who could not afford anything better. The Malteses lived in a neighborhood that was inhabited by other Italians but also by many Jews. In 1902, food riots broke out. Orthodox Jewish women rioted because the price of kosher meat was too high. In the end, they won. Within a month, the price of kosher meat fell

The father, Serafino Maltese, born in 1868, was supposed to arrived at Ellis Island on May 19, 1906 on the Italia. He was a shoemaker and arrived with only $20 in his pocket. He had family in the US and upon arrival was to live with his brother-in-law Nicolo Mirolilo (handwriting on certificate was hard to read) at 25 Alabama Avenue in Brooklyn, NY. On the passenger manifest, Serafino's name was crossed off, indicating that he was not aboard the Italia. Serafino, though, was aboard the Algeria. He departed from Palermo, Italy on July 25, 1906 and arrived in New York on August 6, 1906. He was born on November 4, 1868 in Trapani, Italy. He declared his intention of becoming a U.S. citizen on January 15, 1923. He was the widower of Katherine and had two children, Vito, born on August 24, 1892, and Paolo, born on June 22, 1905. The number of his Declaration of Intention is 299778. He was 56 years old when he filed this document. He was a shoemaker. He was a white man with a fair complexion. He was five feet six inches tall, weighed 140 pounds, and had gray hair. He was then residing at 97 East 3rd Street. The two witnesses that signed his petition for naturalization certifying that Serafino was an upstanding person were Peter Benente, a real estate broker who lived at 95 2nd Street, and Vito Maltese, his son, a barber, who lived with him at 97 East 3rd Street. He was then residing at 97 East 3rd Street.

While searching on ancestry.com I came across two passenger manifests. Both manifests included the names of Catherine, Lucia, Rosaria, Vito, Maria, and Paolo. On the first manifest, the one of the Sofia Hohenberg that arrived in NY on July 2, 1907, the names are all crossed off. On the second manifest, the one of the Francesca that arrived in NY on August 3, 1907, the names are not crossed off and next to some names is a stamp reading ADMITTED. The Francesca manifest also shows that Maria died in the hospital upon arrival (on August 5, 1907). She did not make the journey. Catherine was treated at the hospital and then released. Could it be that the Malteses were sent back the first time they arrived at Ellis Island? Apparently Catherine, Lucia, Rosaria, Vito, Maria and Paolo were supposed to be on the Sofia Hohenberg but never made the trip. They arrived one month later on the Francesca. The Francesca departed from Palermo, Italy on July 16th, 1907 and arrived in New York on August 3, 1907.

Paolo (Paul) Maltese was born on June 11, 1905 (the date of his birth on his father's naturalization petition is June 22, 1905- I find this interesting) in Trapani, Italy. He arrived in New York aboard the Francesca on August 3, 1907. He was 18 years old when he petitioned for naturalization. Paul worked as an upholsterer. He was a white man with a fair complexion. Paul was five feet six inches tall (like his father) and weighed 145 pounds. He had brown hair and blue eyes. Paul filed his Declaration of Intention to become a U.S. citizen on January 5, 1924. The number of the declaration is 340114. The number of the petition for naturalization is 150947. The witnesses who signed Paul's petition were Serafino Maltese, his father, who resided at 97 East 3rd Street in NYC, and Pietro D'Angelo, a grocer, who lived at 97 East 3rd Street NYC. Paul Maltese died on November 3, 1988 in Pasco, Florida at the age of 83. He last lived in Holiday, Pasco, Florida zip code 34691. His social security number was 068-03-3598. It was issued to him in New York before 1951.

Vito Maltese Vito Maltese and Francesca Zerilli were married on July 27, 1913 by Rev. Zpcacci at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan. This was the first marriage for both the bride and the groom. The bride and groom both lived at 208 Forsyth Street before marrying. Both were also white and single before the marriage. Vito was a barber and Francesca had no occupation. When they were married, Vito was 20 years old and Francesca was 18 years old. The groom was born in Marsala (Trapani), Italy to Serafino and Caterina Maltese. The bride was also born in Marsala (Trapani), Italy. Her parents were Sebastiano Zerilli and Maria Maltese. The witnesses to the marriage were Melchiorre Guastella and Giuseppissa Lisitra who lived at 263 Mulberry Street in Manhattan. Vito died in June of 1970 in Flushing, Queens, New York in zip code 11368. His social security number was 079-05-8644. It was issued to him in New York before 1951.

One of the grandsons of Catherine and Serafino Maltese, Serphin (Serf) R. Maltese, is a Republican New York State Senator for the 15th senatorial district (Queens, NY). He was born on December 7, 1932. Serf was first elected in November 1988 and was elected in 2006 to his 10th term. Serf is married to the artist and pianist Constance Mary DelVecchio Maltese, born in 1933. Her father was an Italian American and her mother was a German immigrant. Serf and Constance married on August 27, 1955 and have been married for 52 years. Serf and Constance have two daughters, Andrea Maltese Spanarkel and Leslie Maltese McGill, from whom they have 4 grandchildren. Andrea and her husband Arthur Spanarkel have a daughter, Genevieve Frances Spanarkel. Leslie and her husband Jim McGill have three children: Sondra Elizabeth, Eva Daly, and James Francis McGill III.

Serf's brother, Vincent Maltese is the president of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire Memorial Society.

I was able to find much more information on the lives of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire victims than I thought I would. I enjoyed this project and gained much from it including invaluable research tools.